rural health

The federal Rural Health Transformation Program funds come after months of negotiations, which led Wyoming to drop a planned investment fund. Instead, the state will focus on basic care.

Dozens of independent, rural hospitals in Montana, Nevada and Wyoming are eligible for the program, where they could have access to a consistent supply of drugs at wholesale prices.

The state is no longer pursuing a “perpetuity fund” that could have made investments from the Rural Health Transformation Program more sustainable.

The findings are part of a nationwide report published by AARP.

The hospital is exploring a transition to critical access status, which would change the way it’s reimbursed for care.

Lawmakers passed a bill that outlines how Wyoming will spend its $205 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funds. But the feds still need to OK it. Other bills meant to address rural healthcare challenges have also made it to the governor's desk.

The bill dictates how federal money can be used in the state and creates a perpetual fund. The legislature has also moved a bill that would change hospitals' ability to declare bankruptcy and one that requires hospitals to have a list of standard service charges.

According to Brain Chemistry Labs, the in-the-works test can identify an ALS patient with 97% accuracy. The next step is to get it validated by a clinically certified lab.

Wyoming’s first-year award will help sustain critical care access hospitals and labor and delivery services. Workforce development, chronic disease prevention, behavioral health, and innovative approaches to delivering care and handling payments will also be supported.

Premiums in Mountain West states among the highest